SB1001

THE CONTEXT: A person enrolling a pupil for the first time in a particular school district or private school must provide a certified copy of the pupil's birth certificate or other reliable proof of the pupil's identity and age. The submitted documentation must be photocopied and placed in the pupil's school file.

WHAT THE BILL DID: The final vetoed version would prohibit a public school employee or independent contractor, unless the public school receives written parental permission, from knowingly addressing, identifying or referring to a student who is under the age of 18 by: a) a pronoun that differs from the pronoun that aligns with the student's biological sex; or b) a first name other than the first or middle name listed on the student's official school records, allow an employee or independent contractor to address, identify or refer to a student by a nickname commonly associated with the student's name of record, and stipulate an employee or independent contractor, if it is contrary to their religious or moral convictions, may not be required to address, identify or refer to a person by a pronoun that differs from the pronoun that aligns with the person's biological sex.

WHY IT MATTERED: The practical reason for this bill was to set a clear legal boundary for pronouns instead of leaving the conduct unaddressed. It would prohibit a public school employee or independent contractor, unless the public school receives written parental permission, from knowingly addressing, identifying or referring to a student who is under the age of 18 by: a) a pronoun that differs from the pronoun that aligns with the student's biological sex; or b) a first name other than the first or middle name listed on the student's official school records, and would also allow an employee or independent contractor to address, identify or refer to a student by a nickname commonly associated with the student's name of record, rather than leave the current rule unchanged.